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J. T. SMITH.

UMBRELLA 0R PARASOL RUNNER RETAINER.

No. 365,644. Patented June 28, 1887.

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JAMES T. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,644, dated June 28, 1887.

Application filed November 16, 1886. Serial No. 219,031.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas or Parasols; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to spring-catches of umbrellas or parasols adapted to retain the runner in position when the umbrella or parasol is open or closed, and the objects of my in vention are to dispense with the ordinary long slots in the stick and runner through which the retention-piece is put, also with separate springs to operate the retentionpiece, and with a slotted plate through which said piece is generally passed, and by which, in some cases, the retention-piece is held in place.

My improvement is adapted to a continuous hollow stick. It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, ofa portion of a hollow stick with the catch in position, and Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 details of modifications.

In the drawings, A is a single piece of steel bent over with its ends united to form an elliptic spring, as shown in Fig. 1, or its ends may be open, as shown in Figs. 2, 8, and4. On the upper portion of this spring is riveted or otherwise secured a stop or finger piece, 13, the body of which may be round, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, or flat with one straight side, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and in each case have a sloping upper surface. The springs may have their open ends on the lower portion with the stop at the center of the upper portion, as shown 1n Figs. 6 and 7. When the stop is round, a hole instead of a slot is formed in thestick and runner for its recep- (No model.)

tion. In either case the long slot cut in runner and stick is avoided.

Instead of being riveted to the spring the stop may be provided with a screw-threaded projection and screwed into the spring, as shown in Fig. 5, for convenience of inserting into a tubular stick.

In Fig. 1 the spring and stop are shown inserted in a tubular stick, wherein the spring is simply held within the tube by its own elasticity. When the tube is small, the spring is pinched together at the bend at the end, as shown, Fig. 4, to make the spring narrower. In no case is it necessary that the spring should be riveted, bolted, or pivoted or otherwise secured to the inner part of the stick or to the inclosure, as the spring-pressure holds it in place.

It will thus be seen that my improved spring catch may be bent over itself at either or bot-h ends, or at the finger-piece, if desired, or made of one or more pieces, and the finger-piece may be made detachable or not. The spring may be round or flat or of any shape that may be convenient.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is In a parasol or umbrella, in combination with a continuous hollow stick, a spring-holder for receiving and retaining in position the runner and slide, consisting of a single piece of elastic metal bent over itself and held in place within the stick by its own elasticity, and provided with a finger-piece, B, having a sloping upper surface to receive, protrude through, andhold the runner, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of witnesses.

JAMES T. SMITH.

Witnesses:

WM. S. MARSH, FLORENCE LAFLIN, E. MAWHINNEY. 

